Telephone



(No Model.)

W. DEHOUSE.

TELEPHONE.

a m w Wm m 1 T l r m H 2 ,M d 6 L H e t E a P Ellie M1211 N. PETERS,PhMo-Liflwgmpher, Washmglcn, D,C.

Warren rarns i arnnr Orrrcai IVARREN D. HOUSE, OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI,ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO THE HOUSE IMPROVED TELEPHONE COMPANY,OF

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

TELEPHONE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 358,812, dated March 1,1E 87.

Application filed December 8, 1886. Serial No. 221,001.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WARREN D. HoUsE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Kansas City, in the county of Jackson and State ofM1ssouri,have invented certain new and useful Improvements inTelephones; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear,and exact description of the invention, such as will enable othersskilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The object of my invention is to furnish a new and improved apparatusfor electrically transmitting and receiving articulate speech and othersounds between distant stations.

It consists, broadly, in causing electric currents, produced at thetransmitter by the sounds to be conveyed, to set up molecular vibrationsin an electrolytic vibratory body located at the receiving-station,which vibratlons, imparted to the surrounding air, reproduce theoriginal sounds.

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated means for practicing theinvention.

Figure 1 represents diagrammatically two stations provided with meansfor intercommunication in accordance with the principles of myinvention. Fig. 2 represents a modified form of the receivers shown inFig. 1.

Similar letters of reference indicate similar parts.

X and Y indicate two distant stations, each of which I have shown asprovided with a transmitting and receiving instrument forintercommunication. As illustrated, the linewire S is grounded at eachend, and is in cireuit with the secondary coils of the transmitterinductioncoils B B, and with the pri mary coils of the receiverinduction-coils G G.

The transmitters, which may be of any kind adapted to receive thesound-vibrations and transform them into corresponding electricalenergy, are connected up with the primary coils of the induction-coils BB, and the re ceivers with'the secondary coils of the induction-coils OO.

In the drawings I have illustrated different modifications in theconstruction of the receiver, all of which come within the purview of myinvention.

(N0 model.)

In the form represented at the lower lefthand corner of Fig. 1, Aindicates a suitable basal support, upon which rests a plate, D,preferably of carbon. Upon this carbon plate D is superimposed a blockor body, E, composed of or saturated or impregnated with electrolyticmaterial. Contact between the plate D and block E throughout theircontiguous surfaces is made as intimate as possible, and is preferablysecured either by carefully smoothing said surfaces and joining them byscrews or otherwise, or by molding and compressing the materialcomposing the electrolytic body upon the plate.

By the expression electrolytic material, as employed throughout thisspecification, I intend all such substances, liquid or solid, which, ascomponent parts of the block or body E or its equivalent, will bedecomposed by the passage of the electric current.

Thus I have found that pulverized carbon and phosphate of sodiumintimately mixed in a dry or moist condition and formed into the shapeot'a block will give good results, the per centage of carbon employedbeing so chosen as to give conductivity to the block, but not sufficientin quantity to prevent electrolytic action during the passage of thecurrents. A block of plaster-otparis that has been compressed to give itstability and then saturated with an aqueous solution may also beemployed. For this purpose I may employ asolution of phosphate ofsodium, sal-ammoniac, muriatic acid, or even water alone. also employfor the material composing the block any conducting substance containingan electrolyte, provided the same is saturated with oil or itsequivalent in such proportion as to decrease the conductivity of theconducting substance to an extent permitting the decomposition of theelectrolyte during the passage of the currents.

The plate D may be ofplatinum or thelike, if desired. Carbon, however,is preferable on account of its cheapness, while over the baser metalsit possesses the advantage of non-corrodibility.

\Vhen a saturated block is. employed, the saturated condition ismaintained, preferably,

I may by capillary attraction, as hereinafter described, or by inclosingit within an airtight receptacle for the purpose of preventingevaporation, and, if desired, a saturated sponge may beincloscdwithinthe receptacle to maintain the humidityof the air therein.

To the basal support A is connected a yoke, as shown, having across-piece, G, provided with a threaded perforation,within whichengages the externally-threaded sleeve H. An electrode, L, passesthrough this sleeve, andis provided with a collar, f, against which thesleeve is adapted to bear. At its lower eX- tremity the electrode L isprovided with a bent radial arm, M, to whose under surface is connectedthe spring N, composed of or tipped at its contact-point with the blockE with, preferably, platinum or nickel. Silver, cop per, German silver,and other metals also give good results, but should be first amalgaurated with mercury to resist corrosion.

The electrode L is provided with means for rotating it within the sleeveH, such means consisting of the crank arm T,or suitable gearingconnected with asuitable source of power, regulated, if desired, byclock-work mechanism or the like, so as to insure a uniform movement.

The carbon electrode D and the electrode L are connected in the receivercircuit through the intermcdiacy of the block E, and a battery, as It,is interposed in the receiver-circuit, so as to -maintain a constantstate of polarizatioubetwecn the block and the contact of the electrodeL. The electrode L may be connected with either pole of the battery,although I have obtained the best results by connecting it to the zincpole, the electrode I) being of course connected with the opposite pole.The strength of the polarizing battery should, preferably, be equal tothe maximum strength of the induced currentsin the receiving-circuit. Itwill be readily understood, however, that the employment of apolarizingbattery,while desirable for the reasons stated, is notabsolutely essential to the operation.

The pressure of the spring-contact upon the block E being regulated bymeans of the sleeve H and regulating tension-screw 9, so as to insure arubbing contact between the block and metallic tip, the elect-rode L isrotated within the sleeve H during the passage of thetransmitting-currents over the line-wire S and receiving-circuit, thetip 01' the spring-contact moving over the surface of the block. Thepassage of the induced currents in the receiving'circuit during thisoperation decomposes the electrolytic material at the movingeontact-point, thereby causing molecular vibrations, which, beingcommunicated to the air,

reproduce the sounds operating upon the transmitter.

When a line of high resistance is being operated upon, I preferablyinter-pose a rheostat in the receivingcircuit, in addition to thepolarizing-battery.

The receiver may in some instances be connected up in direct circuitwith the transmitter, or in any other familiar manner, or may beoperated by magnetdcurrents or earth-currents, or by means of a staticcurrent produced, for instance, by means of a condenser. The line-wire,moreover, need not necessarily be grounded, in which event itoperatesasacondenser.

In the form of receiver illustrated in Fig. 2 I have shown a means formaintaining the saturation of the electrolytic material by capillaryattraction. In this instance the block E and its carbon electrode D restupon a receptacle, T, of porous or absorbent material-snch asplaster-of-paris or the like-preferahly shellaced or varnished upon itsexterior sides and bottom and inclosed within a suitable casing, V.

The saturating solution is contained within the receptacle T, and isconveyed by capillary attraction to the plate D and block E above it. Inconnection with this figure I have also illustrated gearing H, foroperating the rotatory electrode L- Although I have secured the bestresults by imparting motion to the electrode L or L, the receiver willoperate while the contact is st-ationary. A form of receiver especiallyadapted.

for this use is illustrated at the lower righthand portion of Fig. 1. Inthis instance the electrode L is provided with a regulating screw, 11,for securing the proper degree of pressure or contact with theelectrolytic disk E The disk in this case is kept at the point ofsaturation by means of the porous receptacle T, upon which it rests,said receptacle containiug the saturating solution. The electrolyticmaterial is connected with an electrode located between it and thereceiver-opening, corresponding to the electrodes D D, hereinbeforedescribed. The vibrations impartedto the air, consequent upon moleculardisturbance during the transmission of speech, are concentrated andrendered audible even where the vibrations are comparatively slight.

In the forms of receiver illustrated in Fig. 2 and at the left hand ofFig. 1 the effects may be increased by mounting the receivers upon asounding-board.

I am aware that it has been heretofore proposed to construct a receiverhaving as one electrode various kinds of animal tissue containingelectrolytic material in contact with an opposite resonant metallicelectrode. The animal tissue as therein employed is, however, notadapted to be set into molecular vi-' bration by the electrolyticaction, thereby differing essentially from my invention.

I am also aware that a receiver has been proposed wherein a diaphragmprovided with a spring projection pressing upona revolving roller ofmaterial soaked in an electrolytic solution, and thereby normallyrestrained, is released and subjected to fiexure by the electrolyticaction of the current between the said spring and moving roller. It isobvious that this also differs widely in principle of opcration from myinvention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is

1. A telephone-receiver provided with a body of vibratory electrolyticmaterial and an opposite electrode in contact therewith, substantiallyas described.

2. A telephone-receiver provided with a body of vibratory electrolyticmaterial and an opposite electrode in contact therewith, and means formoving the two relatively to each other, substantially as described.

3. A telephone-receiver provided with a body of vibratory electrolyticmaterial, an opposite electrode having a spring-contact with said body,and means for rotating the electrode, substantially as described.

4. A telephonereceiver provided with a body of vibratory electrolyticmaterial, an opposite electrode having a bent radial arm and adjustablespring-contact, and means for rotati ng the electrode, substantially asdescribed.

5. A telephone-receiver provided with a body of vibratory electrolyticmaterial, an electrodeattached thereto, and an opposite electrode incontact with said electrolytic material, substantially as described.

6. A telephone-receiver provided with a body of vibratory electrolyticmaterial and a receptacle containing a saturating solution and havingporous walls, substantially as described.

7. A telephone-receiver provided with a body of vibratory electrolyticmaterial, a receptacle containing a saturating solution and havingporous walls, and anintermediate porous electrode, substantially asdescribed.

8. A telephone system consisting of an induction-coil, a transmitterconnected with the primary circuit of said coil, a linewire connectedwith the secondary circuit of said coil, a receiving induction-coilhaving its primary circuit connected with the 1ine-wire, and areceiverconnected with the secondary circuit of said coil, the receiving-circuitincluding a polarizing-battery and the receiver having a vibratory bodyof electrolytic material and an opposite electrode in connectiontherewith, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WARREN D. HOUSE.

\Vitnesses:

J OHN O. PENNIE, M. A. BALLINGER.

